Lifting tong



C. D. EMBREE LIFTING TONG Oct. 18, 1960 2,956,834

original Filed Jan. 16, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 '8 20`v- 23 5T; l2 lg n ,my

I4 2'22 7 '7 l 2' E 5" INVENTOR. 1, 22 CHESTER D. EMBREE s f f BY l my M V 5 v ATTORNEY S AC. D. EMBREE LIFTING TONG Oct. 18, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Jan. 16, 1958 INVENTOR. CHESTER D. EMBREE BY W., M

l-Ell' ATTORNEY 5 United States PatentO LIFrlNG ToNG Chester D. Embree, Falls City, reg.

Continuation of application Ser. No. 709,317, Jan. 16, 1958. This application Jan. 7, 1960, Ser. No. 2,566

4 Claims. (Cl. 294-88) The present invention relates to a lifting tong structure of particular use in lifting logs, and comprises a continuation of my application entitled Lifting Tong Serial No. 709,317 tiled January 16, 1958, now abandoned.

The primary object of the invention is to provide tong means to lift a log so that the log can be rotated in the lifting operation t-o feed it between other logs when loading logs.

A further objcet of the invention is to provide a lifting tong that will lift the log at an angle to the center line of the lifting boom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lifting tong constructed so that it can be nosed down between logs, pressing or forcing them apart when piling logs.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention shown attached to a crane;

Figure 2 is an inverted plan view looking up under the lifting tong;

Figure 3 is a vertical enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows, with the log removed;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view, taken `on the line 5-5 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail sectional view of a ball and socket connection on the upper end of the boom of the crane, taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary end elevation which illustrates how the lifting tongs are used to separate logs one from the other; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of one of the tong working cross heads.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference character T indicates generally a lifting tong constructed in accordance with the invention.

The lifting tong T includes ya rectangular metal box, generally indicated at 10, which has a forward end 11, side walls 12 extending rearwardly therefrom and open at the back. Rails 13 form the bottom of the box 10. Located in the forward end 11 of the box 10 is a tong working frame 14. Tongs 15 and 16 are mounted within the frame 14 as follows.

The inner ends 17 of the tongs 15 and 16 are pivotally connected to opposite but otherwise identical links 18 and to piston rod 19 of a Huid cylinder 20. Each of the tongs 15, 16 and their respective links 18 comprise a grapple member. Midway the length of the tong 15 is pivotally connected a piston rod 21 at 22. The piston rod 21 operates within a cylinder 23 pivotally connected at 24 to the links 18. 'I'he cylinder 20 and upper end 25 of the links 18 are pivotally connected at 26 and 27 to sliding rectangular cross heads 28 and 285, which operate Within the frame 14, bestillustrated in Figures 3 and 4. v

There are two cross heads 28 and 28', one vforeach of the tongs 16 and 15. The cross heads-28,\28' yare heldin operating position by a walking -beam 29 pivotally connected at 30 to the forward end 11- of the box 10. Links 31 and 31 pivoted to the ends ofthe walking-beam` 29 support the cross-headsv 28 and 28.

Referring to Figure 5, the. walking beam 29 is oscillated by a uid cylinder 32 pivotally secured to the box 10 at 33, and having its piston rod pivotally connected to a crank 34, which is directly connected to the walking beam 29. The tong assembly T is pivotallyniounted and supported at 35 to the lower end of the Vboem `36. The boom 36 is pivotally connected at 37 by. aball and socket fitting 38 to the upper end 40 'of a crane boom 41 of the crane 42. The crane boom 41 is raised and lowered by a pair of fluid cylinders 43, while the boom 36 is moved forward and backward by a pair of uid cylinders 44.

The box 10 is tiled about the lower end of the boom 36 by a pair of iluid cylinders 45. The individual cylinders of the pairs of cylinders 43, 44 and 45 can operate independently of one another, providing a twist to the whole assembly, which in the case of the boom 36 is permitted by the ball and socket joint 38 so a number of positions of the tong T in regards to the log can be obtained.

I will now explain how the logis handled. 'I'he box 10 is lowered down over the log yat the desired angle to the log, as best illustrated in Figure 2, the uid cylinders 20 are operated to spread the tongs apart, together with the liuid cylinders 23, which give a further movement to the tongs, as will be apparent on viewing Figures 3 and 5. When the log is gripped the same can be rotated by the operation of the fluid cylinder 32 which will rock the walking beam 29 about its pivot, raising or lowering the cross heads 28 and 28 together with the tongs 15 and 16, revolving the log in the desired direction.

When the log is gripped by the tongs 15 and 16, it is raised up underneath the tong assembly T coming up under the downwardly extending fingers 50 located on the opposite end of the box 10, as best illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 5. The lingers hold the log at the desired angle to the tong assembly T while lifting the log to its desired location.

As seen in Figure 7, the tongs 15 and 16 may be used to spread the logs apart, making room for another log. It requires no Outrigger to connect or disconnect the tongs T from the logs.

One of the primary advantages of the device is to be able to pick the log up at an angle to the boom 41 of the crane, tilt it to any horizontal angle desired by means of the cylinders 45, and then rotate the log about its axis, by independent movement of tongs 15 and 16, as indicated in Figure 3, for placing the same on trucks and the like by simple controls located in the cab of the crane.

It should be noted that the tongs 15 and 16 may be swung with respect to the crossheads 28, 28' by actuating cylinders 20 with cylinders 23 fixed, by actuating cylinders 23 with cylinders 20 fixed or by yactuating cylinders 20 and 23 simultaneously.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that numerousv structural modications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A log loading tong attachment for cranes comprising a horizontal frame of` generally rectangular cross- Section, a vertical frame-secured to said horizontal frame at one end thereof, a pair of c ross heads arranged in spaced parallel relation in said vertical frame and adapted for verticalsliding movement therein, a Walking beam pivotally secured to `said vertical frame, means connecting saidv cross heads respectively to opposite ends of said walking beam, a grapple member pivotally secured to each of said cross heads and depending therefrom, means for vertically adjusting said cross heads with respect tosaid vertical frame and each other, and means for swinging said grapple members with respect to said cross heads in one direction, and said means for swinging said grapple members in the opposite direction.

2. A device as claimed in claim l wherein depending links extend between opposite ends of said walking beam and each of` said cross heads.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for moving said cross heads and the rst and second means for swinging said grapple members includes a plurality ofv remotely controlled pressure cylinders operatively connected to said cross heads and said grapple members.

4. A log loading tong attachment for cranes comprising a horizontal frame of generally rectangular crosssection, a vertical frame secured to said horizontal frame at one end thereof, a pair of cross heads arranged n spaced parallel relation in said vertical frame and adapted for vertical sliding movement therein, a walking beam pivotally secured to said vertical frame, means connecting said cross heads respectively to opposite ends of said walking beam, a grapple member pivotally secured to each of said cross heads and depending therefrom, said grapple members each including a link pivotally secured to the lower end of said link, means for swinging said grapple member with respect to said cross head including means for swinging said link on said cross head and additional means for swinging said load engaging portion on said link.

No references cited. 

